Take a volunteer vacation along the A.T.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Rocky Top Trail Crew is looking for volunteers to help reconstruct a remote section of the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7. Food, gear and equipment will be provided in exchange for labor.

The crew will spend eight days living in the backcountry building steps, turnpike and trail structures to protect and harden one of the most damaged sections of the trail. Paid crew leaders will work alongside volunteers and teach them the latest techniques in trail construction. Partners from the Backcountry Horsemen of America will also provide assistance to the crew by packing up food and tools for a week of hard work.

The Rocky Top Crew is supported by the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, the National Park Service, the ATC, Mountain Khakis and the North Carolina Recreation Trails Program grant. The 70 miles of the A.T. through Great Smoky Mountains National Park crosses the Trail’s highest point and traverses the most diverse ecosystem and the largest roadless area along the Trail.